Various research has shown that, for some tasks, normal training procedures (training conducted under normal, non-stress conditions) often do not improve task performance when the task was to be performed under stress conditions. These results suggest that, under certain conditions, the transfer of training from classroom conditions to operational conditions may be poor when there are no stress-inclusive simulations or training.
Currently, there are several firearm training systems that utilize a pain penalty to create acute stress when training individuals. For years, non lethal training ammunition has been utilized to cause a pain penalty when the round strikes the trainee. The pain is caused by the transfer of kinetic energy into the body.
More recently, a laser based system described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,872,849 by Elliott, Jr. replaces dangerous projectiles with laser pulses that travel from the firearm when the trigger is pulled and activate sensing panels being worn by the student. These sensing panels send a message to an electrical shock device that delivers a single pulse to the student as a pain penalty.
Other firearm computer simulation companies have integrated an electrical shock device that is activated by an RF signal to an electrical shock device worn by the student as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,016,594 by Ferris, et al. It delivers a single electrical shock pulse to the student as a pain penalty. The device is typically timed to match the video presentation of a suspect shooting at the officer.
Other training aids such as MILES™ gear and training IED's are used to assist in developing soldiers tactics on the battlefield. Neither of these types of products currently utilize a pain penalty for improper performance. As mentioned above, this severely limits the creation of stress during training and will not adequately prepare the students for real world encounters where they would be under acute stress.
The major limitation of these products is that they are designed to deliver the exact same pain penalty regardless of the student's level of performance under stress as in computer screen based simulators and known shock devices or no pain penalty at all is provided as in the MILES™ gear or training IED's.